Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Martyn Benson, a start-up adviser working with Rotherham Investment and Development Office (RiDO) in Rotherham, has been named as one of the UK's top ten business advisers as part of the Top 50 Business Advisers awards.

Small business network Enterprise Nation asked businesses to nominate an adviser that had helped them to build and grow a sustainable business. Entries were judged by a distinguished panel including the founder of Enterprise Nation, business expert and author, Emma Jones, and representatives from professional bodies. The Top 50 advisers were chosen from hundreds of entries from around the UK, with ten outstanding experts picked out as the top ten.

Martyn, who offers all-round start-up business advice to help local early stage entrepreneurs in RiDO's business centres, was picked out for his sterling 14-plus years of work in enterprise in the borough.

Martyn said: "Having a clear vision for a business and then to have a strategy that will allow the vision to be realised is vital. People often don't know what they don't know! Business operating skills are needed as well as vocational skills to build a sustainable company."

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Emma Jones, founder of Enterprise Nation, added: "These business advisers are the unsung heroes behind Britain's booming small business culture.

"The awards have uncovered some incredible work that has helped fledgling firms take steps towards sustainability and growth by taking a strategic look at their business.

"Research shows that those firms that take advice do better than those that don't – and it stands to reason that good advice can help avoid some of the damaging, early mistakes entrepreneurs can make that can often force them to give up.

"Thanks to the Government's £30m Growth Voucher initiative, there is now an increasing interest in taking strategic advice to overcome some of these behavioural barriers and unlock growth potential.

"The awards were designed to show this important work in action, in order to help more start-ups and small firms find out about the benefits of taking advice."

RiDO, the regeneration arm of Rotherham Council, now operate four modern business incubation centres across the borough offering support and assistance to local and international businesses. Each incubation centre has access to its own dedicated business adviser, who works with individual client companies, offering advice, guidance, mentoring and links to other partners. In addition, there are other members of RiDO and the wider Council team that can be called on as and when required. It is this support that means that the survival rate for companies for the crucial first three years is 84%, which is well above the national average of 71%.

Following 30 years in the banking sector, dealing mainly with small businesses, and with start-ups through an Enterprise Agency, Martyn has played a key role in the success of RiDO's business centres in fostering sustainable businesses and creating jobs. He has also supported a number of young entrepreneurs through Rotherham Youth Enterprise and been part of the support offered to new, independent retailers opening in Rotherham town centre.